by Melody Anne
“I’m warning you it’s a long story . . .”
“It’s a good thing I have nowhere to go,” she replied.
“Well, it begins when Bill and I were just kids,” Sherman said.
“I wish I could have met him. He sounds like a smart man, and a great father,” Stormy said.
“Yes, he was a great man. And he saw a pattern starting to form with his boys. A pattern that terrified him . . .”
His eyes became distant as he slipped into the past and began speaking. “A long time ago, Cooper’s father and I lived a privileged life. We knew only excess, but excess doesn’t make for a happy life, at least not when you live under the abusive hand of an alcoholic father and a mother too weak to stand up for herself, let alone us. Of course, in those days, people kept to themselves and the help didn’t dare intervene or stop the beatings. All they could do was console us and cover our bruises with fine clothing. As children, we needed an escape, a place to freely wander and explore, to be children, free from the oppression of our drunken father and his plans to shape us into the rulers of his financial empire.” He paused, seemingly looking into the past by the glaze in his eyes.
Stormy didn’t interrupt.
“Bill was five years older than me, so I was only ten years old when he met Evelyn. It was love at first sight, even though they were so young. Evelyn’s family was all farmers, but they were pilots, too, mostly crop dusting and such. Well, in any case, never mind what a looker Evelyn was, Bill could have her—I was instantly in love with the airplanes. It took Bill a little longer to become infatuated, but soon both of us spent our summer days flying. It was an escape from our father. He eventually noticed we weren’t home much anymore. He decided to show us what a real man he was when he found out we’d rather hang around a poor farmer than in the luxury of our expensive home.”
Stormy wanted to tell Sherman he could stop talking. She could see how much pain this story was causing him. But she didn’t say a word and he continued on.
“I know this is about the past, but it influences what happened later with Bill and the boys,” Sherman said apologetically.
“I want to know,” she told him gently while laying a hand on his arm, hoping to ease the pain but knowing she couldn’t.
“We got home from Evelyn’s house one day and Father was drunk and pissy. He told us there were union men who were trying to encourage a general strike. Of course, Father wasn’t going to allow that, and he wanted us to see exactly what he was going to do about it, how he was going to deal with anyone who openly opposed him.”
“Oh, Sherman . . .” Stormy was afraid she knew where this was going.
“It’s okay, darling. It was a long time ago. Our father told us that the common men were nothing more than savage beasts, that their role in life was to support those smart enough to make the money. Money was what ruled the world. Without it, people were nothing. Hell, had Bill not met Evelyn, the both of us might have eventually believed that crap,” he said, obviously horrified at the idea.
“Bill and I were silent on the drive to the mill. But the driver didn’t even fully stop the car before our father jumped out at the main gate, having spotted the union rep. In front of all of his employees, he beat the man bloody, leaving him lying on the ground unconscious.”
Stormy gasped. “No one tried to stop it?”
“You don’t understand how different times were fifty years ago. Our father controlled the town. He had all the money and provided the jobs. People were afraid. I get that now, though at the time I didn’t,” Sherman said with a shake of his head.
“I couldn’t just stand there,” Stormy said, a tear falling.
“If you had children to feed, you might feel differently,” he said. It wasn’t judgment in his tone, but acceptance.
“Bill and I had never seen anything like that. We’d seen our father in a fit of rage before, and we ourselves had experienced the brutality of his temper, but we’d never seen him nearly kill a man. We were terrified. Bill grabbed me by the arm and practically dragged me from the car. We went straight to Evelyn’s place. She was in the barn with her dad working on their old bi-plane when we stumbled in.”
“Did your father chase you down?” asked Stormy.
“No. That was the last time we saw him, actually. Later that night, Father was shot and killed by the very man he had beaten. He went to the mill that night and he never came home.”
“Oh, Sherman. I’m so sorry,” she said.
“Yes, it was tragic, but it wasn’t hard to say good-bye. He’d grown worse the older he got, and we were afraid of him. Our mother was afraid. Suddenly we were free. And I think it’s because he left us that we turned out to be half-decent human beings,” Sherman said.
“Did you give up your inheritance?” she asked him. Never had she seen Sherman flashing his wealth, and he was always at that dilapidated café. It made sense.
Sherman laughed as he patted her knee. “I’m a very wealthy man, Stormy.”
She looked at him with confusion. “I don’t understand.”
“We knew we didn’t want to be like our father. But we screwed up. We screwed up big time. No, we were never as cruel as that man, but we spoiled our family, we partied hard, and played harder. We lived a lavish lifestyle for a lot of years. And then, Bill got cancer. It was one of those really nasty types that eats at a man slowly. He was dying, but he wanted to change things before it was too late,” Sherman said with a sigh.
“What things did you want to change?”
“We agreed right then and there that the money would be pulled from the boys until they figured out how to live their lives in the right way. Bill’s last words to his sons were of disappointment and Ace took it the hardest. He was the most spoiled. Bill and I spoke about it, seeing too much of his grandfather in him. We were hoping to stop that cycle. We tried explaining it, but they were too upset to listen.”
“Why would he be so angry about that? It doesn’t seem as if the others are.”
“Oh, they were all angry, but not about the money. The boys had already amassed quite the bank accounts by then. They were angry that their father thought of them as failures when he died,” Sherman told her.
“But the three I’ve met are anything but failures,” she defended.
“They’ve grown up, become fine men, and taken responsibility for their lives. But no matter how much they’ve grown, each still feels he is a disappointment to the man they all idolize. They have to work through that, and part of the process is having a woman by their side who sees them for who they truly are,” Sherman said as he looked Stormy in the eyes, making her nervous.
“Cooper and I are just friends . . . really,” she said somewhat hesitantly.
“If you think that, then you have some more growing up to do of your own,” Sherman told her, not unkindly.
She wanted to change the subject fast.
“What about Ace? Why is he angry at his brothers?” she questioned.
“He felt betrayed by his brothers when they did exactly as their father had wanted, getting jobs, changing into the men we always knew they could be,” Sherman said with a shake of his head. “He’s been on a mission to do the opposite of what his father insisted on since the reading of the will, but I know he’ll come around. He loves his family too much to stay too far away. I see him once in a while and it fills me with joy when I do. He can’t stay away from his brothers even if he tries to.”
“Why don’t they just make him talk to them?” She couldn’t imagine anyone refusing the Armstrong brothers when they were determined to do something.
“They most likely will do that eventually. They have to find themselves first, though, before they can save their brother.”
“I feel like I’ve invaded Cooper’s life by hearing this,” she admitted.
“Honey, I have a feeling you’re going to be the one saving Cooper.”
Stormy was silenced by his words. Long after Sherman left, she sat in the
loveseat in the living room watching the fireplace flicker as the weight of his words rested on her shoulders.
She wasn’t even sure if she could save herself, let alone someone else . . .
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Was there really a way to measure time? People make comments such as I’m running late, or There’s no time to do this or that, or Time is running out . . . But really, time keeps on turning no matter how you try to measure it. There are the same amount of hours in each day, and the same amount of days in each year. Time doesn’t stop. It’s steady. It’s reliable.
And time kept on passing as Stormy remained in Cooper’s house. The cottage had been long fixed, but he’d insisted there was a mold problem in it now from the water damage. She didn’t see any mold, but she didn’t want to argue because she wanted to enjoy each moment of time she had left with Cooper.
Time. It truly was a curse, she thought. If she could have one superpower, it would be to freeze time, or at least to slow it down. Because she didn’t want her time with Cooper to end—not anytime soon.
On this beautiful summer morning, Stormy sat in the lighted bedroom with her legs curled beneath her, notepad in hand, while she sketched a pattern on paper. Pulling away, she smiled as she looked at the intricate bracelet she’d created—swirls of metal came up around a circled compass.
She’d spent days perfecting the design, originally wanting to create something for Cooper, but now knowing it was far too feminine for a man. Maybe she could use the compass to create a pin for his suit, though. It was something she’d have to think about.
Glancing up, she noticed the faint outline of the red alarm clock and the blurry numbers. She blinked to clear her vision. Once the world came into focus, Stormy realized that she’d been sitting in the same spot for hours.
She had a whole day off and the entire house all to herself so it didn’t really matter, but the cramps in her legs insisted she had to get up and move around.
The peaceful silence of her perfect morning was interrupted when her cell phone began vibrating. She smiled when she saw that it was Lindsey.
“Hey, Lindsey,” she croaked, before laughing. “Sorry, I’ve been drawing all morning. I’m just coming back to the real world.”
“Hey, darling. I need girl time. Are you free later?”
“I have the day off, so yes I am.”
“Yay. I came down last night for a medical conference, and I don’t have to be back to Bellingham until tomorrow morning.”
“What time is your conference over?”
“I’ll be finished up by noon, or should be. I’ll text when I’m done and we can meet up?”
“Okay, sounds good. Talk with you soon.”
Hanging up the phone, Stormy leapt up and decided it was time to get ready for their lunch. She could sit in the perfect light and draw all day, but she missed Lindsey so she headed into the bathroom.
She saw a bright blue envelope taped to the mirror and slowly approached it, a smile on her lips.
Before Cooper, she’d never received notes before. She liked it.
Her name was beautifully written out in calligraphy on the back of it, so she carefully took it down and ran her fingers along the seal before opening it.
Inside was a card and a pressed rose. She pulled both out and gently set the rose on the counter before reading the note.
My Dear Stormy,
Meet me at Trans Pacific’s hangar number 7 at eight tonight.
Wear a dress—and nothing else.
Cooper
Instant heat surged through her at the words. She had wasted too much time not being in Cooper’s bed, and now that she’d had him again, she couldn’t get enough of the man.
“It seems I have a date to get ready for,” she whispered as she glanced at herself in the mirror. Then to her surprise a giggle escaped.
A new dress was certainly in order. Though time kept on ticking, Stormy ignored it. Because as long as they were together, she wanted to make sure he never forgot her again.
That meant she was going to knock his socks off—and his pants, too.
Rushing to get dressed and ready so she could run out the door the minute Lindsey called, Stormy found herself restless as she sat on the back deck checking her phone every two minutes.
The day was progressing beautifully, bright blue skies with not a cloud in sight. Like a blanket, the warm sun beat down on the landscape of Gig Harbor, reinforcing how much she loved her new home.
I’m here.
Stormy jumped up at her friend’s text message. It was about time. Rushing around front, she smiled as Lindsey stepped from her car.
“Stormy!”
“Lindsey!” Stormy rushed forward and the two embraced. “It’s so great to see you. I can’t believe it’s been months already. I hate how time flies,” Stormy complained.
“I know. It’s been too long. But, from the look of things, your life has sure changed. I couldn’t believe it when you gave me this address,” Lindsey said with a wicked grin. “Did you meet a bank president or something?”
“Let’s go shopping for a fantastic dress and I’ll explain everything on the way,” Stormy offered.
“Okay, how about coffee first, then shopping. My tank is running low,” Lindsey said.
“Agreed.”
They got into the car, drove down the long driveway, waited for the gate, and then sped off.
Lindsey lived in Bellingham, Washington, and the two had been friends since working in a café together back in Seattle when Stormy had first arrived. They’d bonded instantly.
“I want info, woman,” Lindsey insisted as they drove toward the mall in Bellevue.
“My old neighbor, an incredible man, heard I needed a place to live, so he told me his nephew had an extra room. I was wary, of course, but I didn’t have a lot of options,” Stormy began.
“Wait! You were about to be homeless and you didn’t once think of calling me?” Lindsey demanded with outrage.
“You’re in a relationship, living in that tiny place, and I wouldn’t even think about bothering you with my troubles,” Stormy told her.
“Well, if we talked more often, you would know that my relationship ended and I would now love the company. Matter of fact, if you ever want to leave paradise, I have a room open for you,” Lindsey said.
“Oh, Lins, I’m so sorry,” Stormy said, reaching for her friend’s hand.
“I’m not. He hit me and I gave him a black eye and very enlarged testicles,” Lindsey said with a smile.
“Why didn’t you call me when that happened?” Stormy demanded.
“I was embarrassed and, I don’t know, being independent,” Lins told her.
“I wish I were as strong as you, Lins. Dang, I would have paid money to see that man rolling on the ground gripping his balls,” she finally said, a chuckle coming out.
“I can’t believe he thought he would get away with it. I grew up with four brothers.”
“Did you tell them?” Stormy gasped, imagining what they would do.
“No. I saved the pathetic man’s life. If I had told them, he wouldn’t have walked again. I did warn him that I would tell them if he ever came near me again,” Lindsey said. “Not that I’m not perfectly capable of taking care of myself, but just to ensure I never have to see his face again. He went all white and scampered away.”
“You were with him over a year. I’m sure it’s difficult,” Stormy told her.
“Not really. I’m used to being alone. I’ve yet to find a man who isn’t afraid of my brothers. I lose respect for them when they are,” Lindsey said.
“Yeah, I kind of like tough men, too, but relationships are complicated,” Stormy said with a sigh.
“I’m far more interested in hearing about your man,” Lindsey insisted.
“He’s not really my man. I’m living in his house. We had sex at the Anderson wedding six years ago, and I was so embarrassed about it that I didn’t even tell you, and then we’ve been hav
ing steaming hot sex now for a while. We’re just . . . I don’t know, we’re just friends with benefits, I guess you would call it,” Stormy told her.
“Yeah, we will see how that turns out,” Lindsey told her with a laugh. “We’re going to find a dress that is bound to drop this guy to his knees.”
The two women spent the remainder of their afternoon going from store to store, trying on countless outfits. Just as they were giving up hope of finding the right outfit, Stormy walked from the changing room feeling like a million dollars.
Stormy wasn’t a dress-up sort of girl, not normally. She wasn’t down on herself, but she had never looked in the mirror and thought she was stunning. This dress changed that. It was like it was made for her. A black cocktail dress that, while modestly cut at the top, showed off just enough cleavage to tease. The hem fell just above the knees and somehow managed to make her legs look like they went on for miles. Her favorite part, though, was the plunging back. It was elegant and sexy and she felt more glamorous than she ever had in her life.
“Hot damn! That man’s pants are going to be down before you take two steps,” Lindsey said as they walked to the front register.
“That’s the goal,” she said with a wink.
When the day was over, they were both sorry to see it end, even if Stormy was anticipating her night with Cooper.
“Promise me we won’t let so much time pass before we see each other again,” Lindsey pled as they sat in the driveway.
“I guarantee you’ll hear from me so much that you’ll be sick of my voice,” Stormy replied, her eyes filling.
“I’ll hold you to that,” Lindsey threatened.
Stormy reached across the small space and gave her friend a hug. Then she opened her door and climbed out. She stood in the driveway with the dress draped over her arm, waving as Lindsey sped away.
Now it was time to transform.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
It was exactly three minutes until eight, right on time . . . or a little early.
Stormy laughed quietly to herself as she realized she’d actually managed to make it somewhere on time. A slight squeal from the brakes of the yellow cab she’d hired to bring her to the hangar could be heard across the entire place as it came to rest outside the vast rusted building.